1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a thin film of a lanthanide compound containing at least one element selected from light elements and at least one element selected from lanthanide elements, particularly, a boron-lanthanum compound containing boron and lanthanum, and a method for manufacturing the thin film.
2. Related Background Art
A thin film of a boron-lanthanum compound, such as LaB6, is known as a electron generating film using a lanthanide-based compound, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H1-286228, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H3-232959, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H3-101033.
Also, in conventional inventions described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H1-286228, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H3-232959, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H3-101033, a crystalline thin film of a boron-lanthanum compound is formed using a sputtering method.
However, when a thin film of a lanthanide-based compound formed by a conventional sputtering apparatus and sputtering method is applied to a electron source film, the electron generation efficiency of the electron source film is insufficient.
Particularly, when a thin film of a boron-lanthanum compound, such as LaB6, is used in an FED (Field Emission Display) or an SED (Surface-Conduction Electron-Emitter Display), sufficient brightness as a display is not obtained in the actual state.